New York cop shoots dead rampaging man, 54, who charged them with two SWORDS and a fencing mask on - after trying to break into neighbors' homes

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A police officer fatally shot a man who charged at authorities wielding two swords and wearing a fencing mask in Long Island, New York. 

Alan Weber, 54, died on Tuesday night after he confronted the Suffolk County police officers with two swords and disobeyed commands at his basement. 

Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said Wednesday that the shooting in East Northport appeared to be justified. 

'I was able to review the body-worn cameras this morning and at this time I believe it's a justified shooting.' Harrison said at a press conference. 

Neighbors called 911 after they saw Weber run from house to house in the neighborhood, try to open doors, collect mails, direct nonexistent traffic, and leave rosary beads dotted with blood on a porch. 

He was screaming and breaking items when officers arrived and lunged at them with double swords in a fencing mask. 

Alan Weber (pictured), 54, was shot to death by a police officer Tuesday night after he charged at the Suffolk County police officers with two swords

He confronted authorities wielding two swords and wearing a fencing mask at his home (pictured) basement in East Northport, New York

Neighbors called 911 after they saw Weber run from house to house in the neighborhood (pictured)

Police said Weber refused to obey commands to drop the swords and an officer shot a stun gun at him. 

'I feel the officers had no other choice but to use what they had to use to stop the threat,' Harrison said. 

'The officers did use a Taser first. They did ask the subject to drop the swords. He had, once again, a fencing mask on as well,' the police commissioner added. 

When Weber charged, the police officer who didn't use the taser fired several shots. Weber later was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital. 

The officer's name has not been released.  

Police said both officers tried to perform CPR on Weber but didn't succeed. 

The officers at the scene are crisis intervention trained, with one having six years of experience with the department, and the other having four, according to the police department. 

Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison (pictured) said Wednesday that the shooting appeared to be justified

Weber's social media account shows he was the owner and head coach at elevate fencing club 

He was a member of the U.S. national team five times and served as an alternate for the Olympics

Weber's social media account shows he was the owner and head coach at elevate fencing club. He went to University of Pennsylvania. 

He was a member of the U.S. national team five times and served as an alternate for the Olympics. 

Weber was a coach at Manhattan Fencing Club and started working as a foil coach at Rockland Fencers Club in 2020. 

Weber had been grappling with depression and aggression since his separation from his wife and children, neighbors said. 

'I just wish there were better protocols in place to have taken care of him earlier in the day when we said to them things are going to escalate,' Natalie Kaufman who lives nearby told CBS News.

'Cops shot this man in his own home,' one person said off camera. 

'It wasn't one shot. We heard six shots. There has to be an alternate path of what occurred,' another said.  

'This man has been behaving erratically for the past couple of weeks. He was off his meds. Why didn't they take him in before it escalated?' one person said. 

'I just wish there were better protocols in place to have taken care of him earlier in the day when we said to them things are going to escalate,' Natalie Kaufman (pictured) said

Neighbors said they sought police assistance for psychiatric intervention on multiple occasions before 

'It wasn't one shot. We heard six shots. There has to be an alternate path of what occurred,' a neighbor said 

Neighbors said they sought police assistance for psychiatric intervention on multiple occasions before. 

'You have to be vigilant. That's it, vigilant of looking around and see is somebody needs some kind of help," East Northport homeowner Leela James said 

Suffolk County Police are currently investigating the shooting of Weber while simultaneously facing a lawsuit in another case related to the shooting of a mentally ill victim. 

Attorney Kenneth Mollins who represents the victim said the police shot his client while doing a wellness check. 

'Police in Suffolk County clearly, unequivocally, have no idea what to do in a situation when dealing with someone with mental health issues,' Mollins said.